UK-based lawyer behind SSKM drive, say police

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KOTA KINABALU: A Sabahan cum UK-based lawyer, who goes by the name of Doris Jones, has been identified as the person behind the controversial page dubbed ‘Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia’ (SSKM) which propagates the secession of Sabah and Sarawak from Malaysia.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said although they were not able to extradite her, they are confident of getting Jones for a sedition investigation.

“We have tried our best to interview and contact her, but we are unable to reach her,” he said at a press conference after attending the Sabah police monthly gathering at the state police headquarters in Kepayan, here yesterday.

On September 2, a police report was lodged by Solidariti Masyarakat Sabah against SSKM following an alleged hate campaign using social network sites such as Facebook and Twitter with theheading ‘Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia’ to incite the people of Sabah and Sarawak to secede from Malaysia.

So far, 12 police reports had been lodged regarding the SSKM group, with some reporting against, some in support of it, and others denying allegations.

A special task force has been set up to investigate the group’s movements.

Jones is a UK-based lawyer, and is believed to be suffering from paroxysmal dystonia and is wheelchair-bound.

According to the Malay Mail Online, Jones said she had not received any contacts from the police here, and that she would not hide from them.

She said there was no reason for her to be avoiding the authorities here, adding that: “It is their right to do so and I am waiting for them here in the UK, if they dare.”

Jones’ controversial postings over secession and campaigns via social media pages and YouTube have claimed support and haters alike, and the followers of the SSKM page now have shot to over 5,300 in the last 10 days, from just about 900.

The SSKM ‘closed group’ has over 16,000 members, including a state minister, a former chief minister and journalists.

Following the report, Jones as the spokesperson for the group said they were ready to defend themselves in court and stressed that they were not using any form of violence and aimed to achieve their goals through legal means.